Career Atlas USA

Careers in Kentucky

Kentucky’s regional price level is below the national average (index 90.159, where 100 = U.S. average, 2024 BEA data).

Unemployment rate: 5.1% · Labor force participation: 58.4% · 2,021,438 people employed (2026-07, BLS LAUS, not seasonally adjusted).

Highest-Paying Careers

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  1. 1Cardiologists$558,180
  2. 2Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$350,950
  3. 3Anesthesiologists$347,960
  4. 4Neurologists$338,850
  5. 5Physicians, All Other$327,390

Largest Occupations

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  1. 1Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand57,930 employed
  2. 2General and Operations Managers52,100 employed
  3. 3Retail Salespersons51,250 employed
  4. 4Registered Nurses50,300 employed
  5. 5Stockers and Order Fillers47,730 employed

Highest Concentration

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  1. 1Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors8.04× national avg
  2. 2Rock Splitters, Quarry7.27× national avg
  3. 3Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters5.83× national avg
  4. 4Embalmers5.61× national avg
  5. 5Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers4.70× national avg

Best Purchasing Power

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cost-of-living adjusted

  1. 1Cardiologists$619,106
  2. 2Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$389,257
  3. 3Anesthesiologists$385,940
  4. 4Neurologists$375,836
  5. 5Physicians, All Other$363,125

Strongest Opportunity Score

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  1. 1Maintenance Workers, Machinery96.8 / 100
  2. 2Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic94.3 / 100
  3. 3Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators93.5 / 100
  4. 4Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders93.4 / 100
  5. 5Food Batchmakers91.8 / 100

Sources

Wage and employment data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities. Unemployment rate: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). Opportunity Score is a Career Atlas USA calculation — see methodology.